Control means for mower cutter bars



June 5, 1951 s. E. HILBLOM CONTROL MEANS FOR MOWER CUTTER BARS FiledAug. 16, 1947 all Patented June 5, 1951 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECONTROL MEANS FOR MOWER CUTTER BARS Samuel E. Hilblom, Chicago, Ill.,assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey5 Claims.

This invention relates to a mower and more particularly to a controlmeans for the cutter bar thereof.

The invention is particularly adaptable to that type of mower comprisinga supporting frame to which a cutter bar is connected for rearwardswinging movement from normal operating position upon the striking of anobstruction and for return movement forwardly to operative position.This type of mower construction is adapted particularly to mounting on atractor or like vehicle. In such instance the cutter bar may be carriedat a point just forwardly of the right-hand rear wheel of the tractor,in such position that the cutter bar, when caused to swing rearwardlyupon the striking of an obstruction, may engage or pass under thetractor rear wheel. Such result is not altogether desirable unless thecutter bar is especially constructed to Withstand the weight of thetractor driven thereover. Moreover, reconnection of the cutter bar tonormal position is rendered somewhat diflicult by the requirement thatthe cutter bar be held while the tractor wheel is backed over it. Thesame general characteristics are present in cases where a releasablecutter bar is used on a mower having a rear caster wheel or the likewhich may have a tendency to roll over the released cutter bar.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a controlmeans for limiting rearward swinging of the cutter bar when released.Other objects of the invention are to provide: a control means that maybe readily adapted to mowers of certain existing types; a control meansincluding a cable or similar flexible element connected between thereleasable cutter bar and the supporting structure therefor; aconstruction in which the flexible element is contained or housed withina structural part of the supporting frame; means for maintaining tensionon the flexible element so that the element is returned to its normalposition along with return of the cutter bar to operative position; anda construction that is simple and inexpensive in design and is notlikely to require adjustment or maintenance during operation thereof.

The foregoing and other desirable objects and important features of theinvention will become apparent as the disclosure is more fully made inthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention as shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which theFigure 1 is a fragmentary plan elevation of ill a portion of a mowerframe or supporting structure and the inner end of cutting mechanismattached thereto, the view illustrating in broken lines the released orrearward position of the cutter bar. Figure 2 is a cross sectional viewtaken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Although the invention is shown and will be described in connection witha particular type of tractor-mounted mower, it should be understood thatthe principles of the invention have wider application and may beadapted to mowers and harvesters of other types.

The particular type of mower construction illustrated is adapted for usein connection with a tractor-mounted mower of the type wherein thetractor has a longitudinally extending support on which is carried framestructure including laterally outwardly extending frame members, to theouter ends of which is connected means for carrying the cutter bar.

In the present case the longitudinal support is indicated by the numeral.I0 and the laterally outwardly extending frame structure is shown ascomprising a pair of elongated frame memhers I I and I2, at least thelatter of which is interiorly recessed or of tubular construction andprovided at its outer end with an attaching flange I3. Each member IIand I2 may comprise a hub In at its inner end connected to a tube I 3apivotally mounted on support Ill. The member II is provided with asimilar attaching flange I4. The flanges I3 and I l are rigidly secured,as by cap screws I5 and I6, to the inner wall structure of an inner shoeor runner construction designated generally by the numeral I1. The shoeor runner construction provides a support or mounting member forconnection with a second member I8. The member It includes a pair oflaterally outwardly extending frame members I9, I9, the outer ends ofwhich are preferably formed integral with a second runner 20, to whichis rigidly connected the innor end of an outwardly extending cutter bar2|. The connection of the member It to the inner shoe or runner I I ismade by a pivot pin 22 disposed on a vertical axis at the proximate rearends of the members, and the forward ends of the members are connectedby means including a releasable latch mechanism designated generally bythe numeral 23 and as more specifically shown in my copendingapplication now U. S. Patent 2,513,938 which is a continuation in partof a copending application Serial No. 553,581, filed September 4, 1944,and now abandonedl Any other suitable form of construction may beprovided, by means of which the cutter bar is pivotally connectedon avertical axis to a supporting frame for rearward swinging movement aboutsuch axis when the cutter bar strikes an obstruction. Constructions ofthis type are well-known and have for their purpose the prevention ofdamage to the cutting mechanism.

In the present construction shown as background for the invention hereindisclosed, there is provided driving means for a sickle or knife 24carried by the cutter bar. This driving means includes a shaft 25contained in a tubular shield 26 for driving a flywheel 21, which inturn drives a pitman 28 that is connected to reciprocate the knife 24 asshown in said Patent 2,513,938.

The inner wall 36 of the inner shoe structure I! is provided with anopening 29 alined with the hollow or recessed interior of the supportingor housing member 12. A forward portion of the cutter-bar-carryingmember it includes a pin 30, to which is connected a clevis 3i carriedat the outer end of a flexible element in the form of a cable 32.through the opening 29 and within the tubular member [2. The inner endof the cable has fixed thereto an eye 33, to which is connected one endof a resilient or yieldable means in the form of a coiled tension spring34. The other end of the spring'is connected to a pin 35 fixed to aninner end portion 3'! of the member 12. In effect, the cable 32 andspring 34 constitute an elongatable element which is flexible.

In the operation of the construction illustrated and described, thecutter bar 2i normally extends laterally outwardly or grasswardly in itsoperative position, being maintained in that position by means of thereleasable latch 23. When the cutter bar strikes an obstruction ofsufficient magnitude to release the latch 23, it swings rearwardly aboutthe axis of the vertical pivot 22, approximately to the position shownin broken lines. Rearward swinging of the cutter bar is controlled orlimited by elongation of the means or element comprising the cable 32and spring 34. It will be understood, of course, that the opera tor ofthe tractor or other vehicle used for propelling the mower will stopoperation thereof as soon as he realizes that the cutter bar hasencountered the obstruction and has been swung rearwardly. In the usualcase the tractor is backed so that the cutter bar may berestored tonormal operating position. In some instances the outer end of the cutterbar includes a sprag or similar device for engaging the ground to holdthe cutter bar while the tractor is backed. In other cases the cutterbar must be restored manually to operative position. In either eventreturn movement of the cutter bar from the broken line position to thefull line position will in turn restore the cable 32 and spring 34 totheir original positions. It is preferable that the spring 34 be onlysufficiently strong to maintain tension on the cable 32, so that thecable will remain taut during restoration of the cutter bar to itsnormal position; although the spring may be made sufficiently strong, ifdesired, to tend to exert through the cable 32 a force suflicient toswing the cutter bar forwardly.

It will be noted that the spring and cable are housed or containedwithin the housing or tubular member l2 and are thus not exposed to thecrop being harvested. Consequently the The cable extends inwardly andparts, even as simple as they are, cannot become entangled with thecrops and are thus not likely to get out of order. The housing of thecable and spring 34 within the tubular member eliminates the necessityof providing a separate shield therefor.

Other features of the invention will undoubtedly occur to those skilledin the art, as will likewise several modifications in the constructionillustrated. It is, therefore, not desired to limit the invention to'the precise details disclosed.

What is claimed is:

1. For a mower including a supporting frame, a cutter bar, and meanspivotally connecting the cutter bar and frame and providing forhorizontal rearward swinging of the cutter bar from an operativeposition upon the striking of an obstruction and for return movementforwardly to operative position, that improvement comprising: meansproviding a generally tubular member on the supporting frame; meansproviding an opening in the means that connects the cutter bar to theframe, said opening being alined with the tubular member; and means forlimiting rearward swinging of the cutter bar, including a flexibleelongatable element connected to the cutter bar, passing through saidopening and entering and being connected to the tubular member.

2. For a mower including a supporting frame, a cutter bar, and meanspivotally connecting the cutter bar and frame and providing forhorizontal rearward swinging of the cutter bar from an operativeposition upon the striking of an obstruction and for return movementforwardly to operative position, that improvement comprising: meansproviding a housing member on the supporting frame; means providing anopening in the means that connects the cutter bar to the frame; andmeans for limiting rearward swinging of the cutter bar, including aflexible elongatable element connected to the cutter bar, passingthrough said opening and entering and being connected to the housingmember.

3. For a mower having asupporting frame and a cutter bar extendingnormally outwardly in operative position therefrom, that improvementcomprising: means including a tubular member connected at its inner endportion to the supporting frame and extending outwardly therefrom towardthe cutter bar; a support connected to the outer end portion of saidtubular member and having an opening communicating to the interior ofthe tubular member; a cutterbar-carrying member fixed to the inner endpor-' tion of the cutter bar in proximity to the sup port; means hingingsaid cutter bar member to the support for horizontal rearward swingingof the member and cutter bar from operative position upon the strikingof an obstruction and for return movement thereof forwardly to operativeposition; a cable or the like connected at one end portion to the cutterbar member, passing through the opening in the support and having itsother end portion disposed within the tubular member; and meansincluding a resilient element connecting said other end portion of thecable to the tubular member.

4. For a mower having a supporting frame and a cutter bar extendingnormally outwardly in operative position therefrom, that improvementcomprising: means including an interiorly recessed member connected tothe supporting frame and extending toward the cutter bar;

'means including a support on said member having an openingcommunicating to the interior of the member; a cutter-bar-carryingmember fixed to the inner end portion of the cutter bar in proximity tothe support; means hinging said cutter bar member to the support forhorizontal rearward swinging of the member and cutter bar from operativeposition upon the striking of an obstruction and for return movementthereof forwardly to operative position; a flexible element connected atone end portion to the cutter bar member, passing through the opening inthe support and having its other end portion contained within theinteriorly recessed member; and means including a resilient elementconnecting said other end portion of the flexible element to the tubularmember.

5. The combination with a support frame having a hollow laterallyextending member, a cutter bar pivoted on a generally vertical axis tothe frame at a point rearwardly of said member for susbtantiallyhorizontal rearward movement from an operative position upon striking anobstruction and for return movement forwardly to operative position, andmeans for limiting said rearward movement of the cutter bar andcomprising flexible resilient means loosely fitted within said memberand anchored thereto and extending from the outer end of the mem-= herand anchored to said cutter bar at a point adjacent thereto and disposedforwardly and inboardly of said axis, said point being located in theoperative position of the cutter bar rear- Wardly of said outer end ofsaid member.

SAMUEL E. I-IILBLOM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 546,200 Staude Sept. 10, 1895$198,910 Everett Apr.. 30, 1940 2,204,333 Wagner June 11, 1940 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 440,651 Great Britain Dec. 30, 1935

